Messenger of death
by ratpigeon
Summary: Most anima will inhabit a body to save it's life. My anima is different. Cooro's POV set about six years after the manga, oneshot. I own nothing
1. Chapter 1

Messenger of Death

For most people, an anima will inhabit their body to stop them from dying, but Cooro's is different. Spoilers. Cooro's POV

I fly high above the small Sailand town where Husky and Nana have lived since their anima disappeared. The sun is warm on my black feathers as I circle higher and higher, laughing at the freedom of flight.

"WHEEE!" I swoop up, somersaulting in midair. I'll catch a cloud, and give it to Nana as a present, she'll like that…

_Don't fly too high._ The quiet, sad voice says in my mind. It isn't a boy or a girl, it's not even human, but I've known it since I was born. This wise, guiding voice is the closest to a mother, or father, that I have ever known. It is my anima.

"You always say that, why?"

_If you fly too high, you won't be able to come back._

"Oh, well I have to visit Husky and Nana first. Help me catch a cloud."

_You won't be able to._ I frown, and reach out to grab a wisp of fluffy whiteness in front of me. It looks so soft, and sweet…

"Oh!" I lurch forwards as my fingers pass straight through the cloud, like mist. "That's not fair!"

_All birds know that clouds are just sky-mist. Just like our wings know how to find the warm winds to the sky, or the cool winds that drag us down._

"I don't like them, it makes flying hard work."

_Yes_. I sigh, and begin to drift gently down, spiralling closer in lazy circles. I like being lazy, but going faster is more fun.

_Cooro…_ Ignoring the caution, I fold my wings and pull my goggles over my eyes as I begin to plummet towards the ground, faster and faster. Much faster than I had ever dived before.

"WHEEEEEEEE!" This is even more fun than going up!

_Cooro, stop._ It sounds urgent

"What?" I ask, instinctively flaring my wings. The sudden pressure nearly makes me scream as my wings seem to get squashed in from all sides at once. I begin to tumble towards the ground, barely managing to slow my fall.

_Crow's wings aren't' meant for dives like this._ It's the last thing I hear before I crash through the thatched roof.

*

"Cooro!" I look up as I hear Nana's voice, unable to believe my ears. She has her hair tied up in a bun, with pins and threaded needles sticking out of it haphazardly. She must have been working.

"Hey Nana! Sorry about your roof, I was going to fast. Where's Husky?"

"He's probably just on his way back now. He was visiting his mother, but I had a dress to finish, so he promised to bring me some pink-and-yellow satin instead, I'm going to make a skirt with it!" Nana smiled happily for a second, but looked serious again when she looked back at me.

"Are you feeling okay? You crashed pretty hard…" I look at her in surprise, I feel absolutely fine…well, maybe a _little_ bit tired after flying all the way from the Kim-un-kur mountains, where I visited Senri. Oh yeah!

"Senri gave me something to give you for your birthday, Nana."

"Really? Ooh…what is it?"

I pull out the little parcel with a hand that doesn't seem to be quite working properly. Oh well, I'm probably just a little dizzy after crashing. Nana opens it, and squeals with delight, exactly like she did when she first started travelling with Husky, Senri and me, six years ago.

"It's so pretty!" She says, holding up the pair of earrings for me to see. They match the necklace that Senri and Husky had made for her, years ago, when Husky had felt bad for telling her that she didn't suit precious jewels.

"I could never have worn earrings before, because they would affect my anima, but now-" she stopped, looking slightly sad, and glanced at the black markings on my shoulders. She and Husky had stopped travelling with us, soon after their anima disappeared. Senri had also gone home after that, to be a Kim-un-kur tribesman properly. And I'd been left alone. I flew almost constantly now, from village to the mountains and back again. But each time it felt a little further, and each time, even when I finally reached my destination, it felt less like the home that I'd always known when we'd all been together. I smile, happy to see Nana happy, and put the thought out of my mind.

"They're really pretty, Nana. Do you have any apples?"

"Yes, of course. I'll get one."

"Thanks Nana." I try to sit up, but my body won't seem to do what I tell it to. I stop trying before Nana realises, I don't want her to worry.

_Just wait until Husky comes home…_

I frown slightly, wondering what it means.

"I was going to give you a cloud, but I couldn't catch it." I say, grinning at her.

"If Husky heard you say that, he'd whack you with his Cooro Punishing stick." She says, handing me the apple, just as there's a knock on the door.

"_What happened to the roof!!"_ Nana turns and runs to the door, letting in an angry looking Husky.

"Cooro fell through it."

"What?"

"Hey Husky!" I say, waving from the bed. "I'm sorry about the roof, I was going a little too fast." I smile, but it doesn't seem right. There's almost none of the _family_ feeling left. A strange, metallic taste fills my mouth, it's hot and salty. I ignore it.

_Cooro…_ the voice has a strange tone to it, almost sad, but not quite regretful…peaceful.

"Are you okay, Cooro?"

"Fine. But it's time for me to go. I have a long way to go before it's night time." I smile at Husky, and sit up. A strange sensation washes over me, like I've moved slightly…_away_…the strange taste disappears, and so does the funny feeling in my body. I spread my wings and fly, straight upwards.

_Are you ready now_?

"Yes. No-one needs me anymore."

I fly further and further upwards, higher than I've ever been, except once. Straight towards the sun.

_That time…_

"I needed me. I wasn't ready to follow all the way."

_Do you want to meet her?_

"Of course."

The light of the sun spreads out and blinds me as I fly even higher. I see a silhouette, black against the light of the sun. Her arms are wide to meet me. Around me is the flapping of black wings, as crows fly up to join me, flying in time with me, like last time. Only this time, I wouldn't turn back…

Far below, Husky and stare at Cooro's body in horror, as the rosy cheeks and warm smile pale and cool.

"No…" whispers Nana, tears spilling over her eyes. Husky doesn't say anything, just stands, silently staring at Cooro's still form.

He doesn't believe it. It can't possibly be true. He seemed fine, until he said that he was going. A small trickle of blood spills from his mouth. Husky wipes it away automatically, his brain seems to have stopped sending messages, all he can see is Cooro's smiling face, holding out a hand to him, all those years ago, and saying_ 'Come with me!'_ But this time, Cooro had gone alone.

Somehow, even though the bright afternoon sunlight is still spilling through the roof, the day suddenly seems much darker…

For most people, an anima will inhabit their body to stop them from dying, to save their life. My anima is different. My anima was not to help me find happiness in life; it was to guide me home, to my mother's arms…to my death.

That is the duty of the black-winged messengers.

END

I don't know if this turned out quite right…I might change it later.

Anyway, I hope you liked it, even if it is kinda sad, and Cooro's OC. ~Ratpigeon.


	2. Chapter 2

MESSENGER OF DEATH (2)

Senri stood disconsolately at the edge of the cliff, watching the mountain drop away beneath his feet, the clouds drifting lazily through the deep valleys and ravines. This was were, all those years ago, he had gotten his Anima. And this was were, every seven days, he stood, and waited for black wings to appear over the horizon, or watched them disappear once again.

Cooro was late.

Senri had been waiting at the mountain-top for two days, his small book of momentoes held tenderly in his hands as he stared at the one he had picked to represent Cooro. One of his black feathers...

"He's not coming back." Senri whirled to see Husky standing at the head of the path, Nana jut behind, dressed in black. Nana's eyes were red from crying, the salt on her cheeks sparkling in the hard sunlight on the mountains. Husky's eyes were as cold and dead as stones.

"Not coming?" asked Senri, fear forming in the pit of his stomach. _Not coming_…

"Cooro's…dead." Husky closed his silver-blue eyes, and a single drop of moisture clung to his long lashes before being blown away on the mountain wind. Senri sat down on the edge of the cliff, feeling in his mind like he'd already fallen off. Cooro was gone…An image of Cooro, eyes wide and innocent as he bit into a pilfered apple, his smile still visible around the bright red fruit, and his wings framining his innocent face flickered into his mind, but now the once-happy memory was unbearable. Senri closed his eyes, blocking out the sight of the feather and it's memories, fleeing into the cloudy darkness within his mind. The three sat there, silent in the cold wind of the mountains, grieving for their friend.

*

I watched, my wings fluttering distractedly, and I looked up at her.

"I didn't think they'd be so sad…I didn't think they needed me anymore. Why are they crying?"

"They love you Cooro. Whenever somebody we love leaves us, we cry."

"No! I don't want to make them cry!" _It's not fair_.

"Nothing's fair in life or death." I shake my head, not wanting to believe her, as she speaks in the same voice as my anima. I don't want them to cry. I bite my lip and look down again, trying to press through the haze that separates me from my friends, but my wings feel like lead.

"I don't want to lose them!" I scream, pressing my face into the dimming image, tears running down my cheeks. "I don't want to be dead…_let me go back_…" She doesn't answer, turning and leaving me, staring at where the image of my friends disappeared.

*

On the mountain, the wind screams and wails, and rain falls, mixing with the tears on the down-turned faces of Senri, Husky and Nana. The mountain seems to be grieving with them.

_Let me go back…_

*

Thanks to Someone179 for correcting the apple blossom/feather, and Thanks to Crimson angel 13579 for giving me the idea to write Senri's reaction , it wouldn't have been fair to leave him out… ~_~ I don't like sad stories though *sob*… ~Ratpigeon


	3. About a sequel

Wolf Anima asked me to bring Cooro back, so I made a sequel story. If you want to read it, it's called Angel. Just so u know. I'm going to publish the first chapter as soon as I've gotten this down, which is not a proper chapter.  
Angel is going to be happier, and I feel like a bit of a sellout writing it, but oh well. THankyou for reviewing! Tips especially have been appreciated. 


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